Mommy
by everfaithful
Summary: WeeChesters! Sam 5 Dean 9, Sammy has a surprise for John, but it isnt the surprise he had planned.
1. Chapter 1

-1He knew it was wrong. He knew that if he got caught it would Dean that got into trouble for it, not him. But Sam did it anyway. He slipped out of his bed, and padded quietly down the hall on bare feet. He had to pull the stool from the kitchen over to the door to unlock the latch at the top, but quietly put it back and rushed outside.

The yard was small behind their rental house, but it was surrounded by tall shrubs and trees. One of the reasons his father had chosen it so that he could train his sons with out the neighbors seeing what was going on. Not that 5 year old Sam understood that. But it was the shrubs at the back of the yard that he ran to now.

She was there, waiting. Sammy had never seen anyone as beautiful as the lady. Except in the pictures his father kept of her, but even the pictures weren't as pretty as she was in person. She knelt down and opened her arms for the small boy to run into them, holding him close.

"Mommy" He said, breathing in the scent of her, resting his head against her and listening to her heart beat, the way he did when his Daddy came home from a hunt, that reassuring steady beat. "Can we tell Daddy now? He misses you so much Mommy. He thinks you died and it makes him cry when he things we're asleep sometimes. And Daddy doesn't cry even with the really big owies so I know it has to hurt lots and lots and lots"

"Not yet Baby. Not him or Dean. I want it to be special when I come home, okay Sammy?" She asked running her long fingers through his hair.

"Daddy says we're not supposed to keep secrets from each other. That secrets are what lets the bad things happen . "

"is my being back a bad thing?" She asked him with a smile.

"no Mommy"

"Then its okay. Its like keeping a surprise secret. You wouldn't tell Dean what Daddy was getting him for his birthday would you?"

Sammy shook his head "That would make it less fun when he …oooooh I get it now" He said smiling brightly "You want to make it special for Daddy. But cant I at least tell Dean? He misses you lots too."

"no baby, this is our special surprise. Can you do that for me Sammy? Can you keep it just between us, just for another night ?"

"Just one more night?" He asked.

"Just one more night… then we'll give your Daddy a really big surprise."

Sammy got up late the next morning, having been unable to sleep, waiting for the special surprise, and anticipating how happy his family was going to be. He couldn't wait to see his Daddy's face when he saw their Mommy again. He wanted to see his Daddy smile. Really smile.

"Hey sleepy head" Dean said as he was putting the pancakes on the plates for them.

"Where's Daddy?" Sammy asked.

"Right here, Kiddo" John said as he came out of the bathroom, toweling his face, to get the last of the shaving cream. He tossled Sam's hair and took his seat at the table. "I need you to stay at school today until Dean gets out of class. " Sam was in kindergarten and on half days, but there was an after school program that he could use for those days when he had to work.

"You're gonna be home tonight though, arent you?" Sam asked, an urgency to his voice that surprise the other Winchesters.

"Yeah, I'll be home for dinner, why? Everything okay?" John asked, brow furrowed in puzzlement.

Sam nodded his face brightening again. "I was just making sure" She had said they could tell tonight…tonight they were going to give Daddy the surprise. He had to be there to surprise him.

John left for work, leaving the usual round of orders for his boys to follow while he was out. Come straight home, do their home work, do their chores and then they could play outside, in the yard only until he got back around dinner time. Lock and salt the doors and windows, bad guys didn't just come out at night.

"So whats up with you?" Dean asked his brother as he helped him with his shoes.

"I have a big surprise for Daddy. I just wanted to be sure he would be home for it is all." It was okay to say there was a surprise after all, so long as he didn't say what the surprise was.

"Oh?" Dean said figuring it was something that Sammy was making in school. Little kids were always doing that. He remembered when he had been a little kid after all. "What kind of surprise is it?" He asked, handing Sammy his back pack and pushing the boy toward the door. They were going to be late if they didn't get a move on.

"I cant tell you. " Sammy said with a bright smile, very much excited about his secret "But you'll get to see it real soon"

"Sounds good, squirt. I bet its gonna be the best surprise ever." Dean said encouragingly. He liked it when Sammy was so happy and excited.

"It is, Dean. It really is."

The day seemed to drag by for Sam. He spent the day moving from one landmark to the next, getting to the end of class, then to the end of latchkey, then to the end of dinner, then it was a matter of lying in bed and waiting. Doing his best to stay awake waiting for his father and brother to finally go to bed and go to sleep.

He was tired as he slipped quietly out of bed and padded down the hall. He yawned so big that his little eyes watered as he moved the stool over to the door once more to unlock it. But it didn't matter how tired he was when he saw her standing there as before. He ran to her all but leaping up into her arms "Can we tell Daddy now?" He asked

"We will… soon… tonight even, but I want you to come with me okay? "

"I'm not supposed to leave the yard with out Daddy or Dean with me. " He said

"Baby… I'm your mommy right?" She said "Its okay to be out here with your mommy. Besides, we're just going to make sure that things are ready for your Daddy. I cant wait to see him but I want it to be perfect. Can you help me make it perfect?"

Sam nodded then with a big smile.

John groaned as the phone rang. One eye opened as he looked at the clock. 3am. Who the hell was calling at 3am. He reached over to pick it up "Yeah… what is it?" He asked groggily.

"Daddy… "

"Sammy?" John was awake instantly, as his blood ran cold. "Sammy where are you?"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Thanks to everyone that has reviewed so far! I was amazed to get so many in so short a time. I love hearing that people like what I write, its like getting paid J

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"It's okay, Daddy. Don't worry. I'm with Mommy. We were gonna surprise you but I made her let me call you cause I knew you would worry and I don't want you to worry, Daddy… are you okay?"

John felt as though he had been kicked in the gut. "Son, I want you to tell me where you are." He said, trying to stay calm. Its not your mother, Sam, your mother is dead, he wanted to scream at him, but Sam was happy, he wasn't being hurt, and John wanted to keep it that way. The best way to do that was to play along.

"Mommy says that would spoil the surprise. " Sam told him in a voice that pure honest excitement and joy.

"Can- " His voice caught in his throat as he got out of bed and started dressing, as he held the phone to his ear "Can I talk to Mommy?"

"Hello, John" It was Mary's voice, and it cut through him like a thousand knives to hear it again, and know that it was some monster wielding it like a weapon. The sound was muffled as she lay her hand over the phone "Go on to bed, Sammy, I'll be in to tell you a story in a minute."

"But I wanna know what Daddy says" Came Sam's voice, muffled and distorted.

"I know…and Mommy will tell you all about it when I come tuck you in okay. "

"okay" He said, then had to have pulled the phone toward him for a moment "Good night Daddy, I love you" Came the little boys voice, and John could hear him running across the floor.

"What do you want?" John asked moving out of his room quietly and down the hall, wanting to make sure Dean was alright, with out waking him yet.

"Now, John, what kind of question is that?" Mary's voice asked. "I've been gone 5 years and all you can come up with is what do you want?" She sighed "I want my family back."

"My wife is dead. You might be able to fool a little boy, but you don't fool me." Once he was sure that Dean was sound asleep in his bed, he started to search the rest of the house. He sighed, closing his eyes, angry and horrified to see how Sam had made his escape out of the house with the step stool.

"My poor Johnny" She said "you have been at this hunt too long. it's a good thing I'm back. Let me talk to Dean. I miss him so much."

"Stop it" John growled "Just tell me where you are. I wont let you hurt my son."

"I have no intention of hurting the boys." She told him. "I love them. Now let me talk to my son." The last was said with a fierceness Mary had never possessed, and even knowing this wasn't really his wife, it was shocking to hear.

"He's- He's sleeping Mary" He said trying to find a solution, trying to sort out what this thing was that had his younger son. "He remembers the night you died, just hearing your voice out of the blue would scare him… hell it scares me" John said, as he went out into the yard, trying to find some clue as to what happened, where they might have gone. "Just … let me have a chance to explain it to him first." And get him the hell away from here before you can hurt him too, he thought.

There was a long silence "Alright, but I'm keeping Sam out of school tomorrow. I think you should do the same with Dean. Its important that we all are together again. More important than anything else, John, don't you agree?" Mary's voice asked.

"Yes" He answered, because he had no choice. "Yes… I want my family back together. Tell Sammy I love him and Daddy will see him soon" One way or another he would find his younger son.

"I'll call in the morning so I can talk to Dean." She said.

"Yeah… yeah we'll be here." John said. It would take Jim a couple hours to get there to take Dean to safety He would play along for now. He had to, Sam was alive and unharmed and he would do anything to keep it that way.

"I love you , John. "

John cleared his throat , he almost couldn't say it… not to this thing using Mary's form "Ahm… yeah… me too. Early tomorrow right? " he wanted this nightmare to end. Wanted his son back and this bitch dead. "I need to see you with my own eyes."

"Early tomorrow." She said "It really is me, John. You'll see. We'll be happy again." And with that she hung up.

John sank to the ground as though his legs had been cut out from under him. His chest tightened and all the grief he had been carrying around for the last five years welled up inside of him, threatening to break him apart at the seams. "God, Mary, forgive me. Forgive me" He breathed and ran a trembling hand through his dark hair. He growled, although to be fair the sound was more pain than anger, and got to his feet once more, dialing his friends number as he made his way back to the house.

"This had better be an emergency." Came the voice on the other line.

"Jim, its John. Can you come get Dean?" John asked, sitting down on the back steps not wanting to risk waking Dean yet .

"Just Dean?" Jim asked, even half asleep at half past three in the morning, he didn't miss that distinction.

John told Jim what had happened, the words running out of his mouth as a numbness settled in over him. "Jim… you don't think its possible that… that it could be her?"

"no." Jim said gently, yet firmly "Your Mary is gone. Whatever it is that has your son, is not her. I cant say if it was once her or not, but its not any more. Your Mary would never have kidnapped Samuel. If the good lord had provided such an amazing miracle as to bring your wife back to you… she would have run into your arms the very first thing, not lure a young boy away from the safety of his home."

John nodded, even though Jim couldn't see him "Yeah I know." He said "At least it hasn't hurt Sam…he sounded good. But now it wants Dean, and I want him out of here as soon as possible."

"I'm on my way, John. You just hold tight. I'll make some phone calls and we'll see if we cant figure out what this creature is so that you can get your boy back. "

"Thanks, Jim. I'll see you soon." He hung up the phone and went back into the house, putting on a pot of coffee and drinking half of it before going to wake his oldest son.


	3. Chapter 3

-1John sighed and paused outside his sons bedroom door. He had to tell Dean the truth. It was safest for Dean if he knew the truth. But god help him he didn't know how he was going to do it. He opened the door and strode in, with a confidence he didn't feel and sat down on his sons bed.

"Dean, wake up son."

"Is it morning already?" Dean asked and rubbed at his green eyes with the butt of his palms, making him look even younger than the tender 9 years that he was.

"after a fashion" John said, and didn't know if he should be proud of his son or ashamed of himself that Dean removed his hands from his eyes and looked at his father with a wary suspicion as he added up what few facts he had and came to the sum total of trouble.

"What's happened?" Dean asked "are we packing up to move again?"

"You are. So I want you to have your stuff ready to go while I make breakfast for you. Jim will be here shortly." Maybe he wouldn't tell him. Not all of it. How could he? How could he tell Dean that his mother was the monster under the bed.

"Where's Sammy?" He asked looking over at the empty bed, having expected to see a sullen 5 year old, upset that his surprise what ever that was, was going to be ruined by the move. Sam was such a sensitive little kid about such things.

"Dean, Just pack. We'll talk over breakfast"

"Dad, no… why is it just me going and where is Sammy?" He demanded, worry, almost fear evident in his tone.

John sighed, and knew that there was no putting it off any longer. He explained all that he knew and frowned "Did Sam say anything to you about a new friend or anything?"

Dean shook his head "He said he had a surprise for you., but I thought it was like the last surprise when he made you that painting in art class. " This was his fault. He should have known that something was up, Sam was too excited. He should have known.

He got out of bed, with a look of pure determination on his young face "I'll help you find him." He said "I should have kept a better eye on him."

"This isn't your fault, Son. Just pack up and meet me out in the kitchen. Jim will be here soon."

"Dad, I don't want to go" Dean said, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "Sammy's in trouble, I gotta be here."

"Just pack, and pack your brothers things while you are at it. We're moving when this is over. We'll talk about the rest of it at the table okay? Just… do this for me son, please" It was a cheap trick and John knew it but he didn't have time to pack up everything and force his oldest son into a car.

He left Dean to the packing and went back into the kitchen and the phone. He started calling other hunters he knew, hoping someone somewhere might have a damned clue as to what could dredge up Mary's image and her memories.

Most of them had the same answer, "damn, John, Sorry about your boy, let me get back to you on that other stuff." every last one of them. He threw his coffee cup across the room and watched as it shattered then fell to the floor.

He sank into a chair and rested his head in his hands, not moving until he felt small arms close around him and Deans head resting against his back.

"It'll be alright, Dad." Dean said gently. "We'll find Sammy. He'll be okay."

John shifted enough to pull his son into his arms. His boys were the only thing keeping him sane, keeping him anchored in the present, he couldn't bear to lose them both. "I'll find him, and then we'll stay out there with Jim for awhile, okay Kiddo?"

"How did the monster know what Mom looked like… " He asked, not saying anything about going to Jims. He had no intention of leaving his father.

"I don't know. It wants to talk to you. "John said "Do you think you can handle that? Can you play along so that we can arrange to meet with her? If its too much I'll find another way."

Dean lifted his head "Its not really mom. I can handle it."

John smiled at his son, proud of him in that moment. "Good. " He tosselled his hair and rose from his seat "Now.. .what do you want for breakfast?" He asked as he moved to clean up the shards of his coffee cup.

"I'll get us some cereal, " Dean said "Gotta use up the milk if we're moving again."

John looked at his oldest son, watching as he went about his task, amazed at how mature his boy was, how old he was inside that 9 year old body. It hurt to see. He was proud of him, proud of how he took care of the family in ways that John just couldn't manage. But it was too much for one so young.

"What?" Dean asked as he set the bowls before them, having caught his fathers watchful gaze.

John shook his head a little and gave his son a smile that he didn't feel. "Nothing. Just proud of you is all." He didn't know how this was going to turn out. But at least Dean would be safe with Jim.

John ate, but it tasted like cardboard and settled like rocks. He told himself that Sam was alright. That the boys belief that he was with his mother would keep him out of trouble and that she wouldn't harm him until she had what ever it was she wanted.

That's what he told himself, but it wasn't what he believed deep down. Deep down he knew that is baby was in the hands of a monster in angels clothing, being kept somewhere that John didn't know, and couldn't get to. Deep down John knew that he was helpless to save his youngest son in those moments and it was killing him.

John looked up as the car pulled into his drive "Sounds like Jim is here, you all packed and ready?"

"Dad, I don't want to go" Dean insisted "I want to stay and help you find Sammy. He's my little brother, I have to help."

"Dean, we are not going to argue about this, I want you safe and the best way for you to be safe is to not be-" He stopped speaking as the phone rang. Both Winchesters stared at it as though it were a ticking time bomb.

John reached out on the third ring an picked it up "Winchester" He said, thinking it might be one of the other hunters, even though he was sure that it wasn't.

"Good morning, Sweetheart" The voice said. "Did you sleep well?" She asked.

"No" He said honestly "Couldn't sleep at all. How's Sammy?" He tried to make it conversational. Tried hard not to sound demanding or scared. But there it was, creeping out around the edges of his voice.

Jim entered the house and slipped a reassuring arm around Dean. This was a night mare for both of them, and there was nothing the minister could do to make it any easier.

"Sam slept like a little angel. You have done well by him John. He is such a good boy. Is Dean awake?" She asked.

"Ahm… yeah… just… you know… be easy on him. This is all a shock."

"I understand, just let me speak with my son. I miss him so much."

John silently looked to Dean, mouthing the words You Okay with this? To which the boy nodded and reached up to take the phone.

"mom?" He asked.


	4. Chapter 4

"Dean, honey? You sound so grown up. " She said, tears obvious in her voice. "I've missed you so much "

"Yeah, me too, Mom" Dean said and had to blink back the tears that welled in his eyes. This wasn't his mom. Couldn't be his mom. Mommy had died in that fire. Killed by the demon, but this was her voice, and he had missed the sound of that voice like the flowers missed sunshine.

"So much like your father. He could never say it on the spot either. Had to work his way up to it."

"Is Sammy awake?" He asked "I missed him last night."

"He's still sleeping honey, he had a very busy night last night. So excited about all of us being together again."

"When are we gonna all be together ?" Dean asked, looking up at his Dad worriedly.

"Soon, honey, soon."

"Please let me talk to Sammy." He asked once more. "He wont mind waking up, please mom"

"No honey, I'll tell you what, I'll call again as soon as he wakes up. " She promised. "okay"

Dean was silent for a moment. This was not okay. This was not okay at all. "Why did you take Sammy away from us." He asked bluntly and moved away from his dad, who reached for the phone. "Why didn't you come for me instead?"

"Its not like that honey."

"Then what is it like? You've been gone all this time and you come back and sneak around and kidnap Sam. You cant have him, he's mine. " Tears were welling up in the boys eyes now, and no matter how much he fought it, it was evident in his voice. "I want my little brother back."

"oh, Dean, I didn't kidnap Sam, he's my son. Moms cant kidnap their own children."

"Yes they can. When Kimmy Fisher got in the car with her Dad and went away the police said it was kidnapping. They were all over our school talking about it. You didn't even come inside, Mom... you didn't even come in to see me, you just took my Sammy"

"Dean, that's enough." John said, thinking this was the worst thing he could have done to his son, letting him talk to this monster but it was the only way.

Dean shrugged away from his father, trying to glare at him with tormented green eyes, but all he managed to do was break his fathers heart.

"I know this is hard for you. Sammy was just the only one that could accept me right away, that's all. its not that I didn't love you as much. I love all of you, but Sam was just the only one open enough to believe. I wont keep him from you for long, I promise."

"you'll call when he wakes up? Do you promise mom? You always keep your promises, do you promise?"

"I promise I will call as soon as he wakes up. He misses you too. Says you tell the best bedtime stories."

"okay mom. I'll be waiting."

"Now let me talk to your father. I love you Dean"

"Yeah... me too" He said as he handed the phone to his father.

Jim pulled Dean out of the kitchen, and away from the situation, "are you alright son"

Dean shook his head "That's not my mom"

"I know." He said gently.

"But Sam thinks it is... and now he's gonna lose mom too. Cause Dad'll tear that bitch apart when he gets his hands on her, for taking sammy and pretending to be mom...and then Sam is gonna know what it feels like to lose Mom too. I don't want him to know, he's too little "

"Language Dean" Jim said gently "And Sammy will be alright. You came through that night just fine." That was a lie. The child hadn't. He had been scarred by that night as surely as John had. Jim just hadn't expected the boy to realize it. "Sammy is strong. He'll get through it."

"I know... I just don't want him to have to... its not right. She isn't even really our mom."

"I know. its going to be alright, You will come with me, and your father will bring Sam when this is all over."

"I'm not going" Dean said shaking his head "I'm not going anywhere without Sam. She promised I could talk to him when he wakes up and I have to be here cause if I'm not she might freak"

John stood in the door way "No Dean, you are going with Jim. We'll wait for that phone call, cause I know you need to hear his voice and I don't want to worry Sam about you either... but once that is done you are getting in Jims car and you are leaving with him. Am I understood."

Dean scowled, and it was an impressive scowl for a 9 year old "Yes, sir"

"Good man" He said in return. "You alright?" He asked studying the boy know that there was no way he could be alright.

"Yes, sir" Dean said

"okay... go finish packing up your and Sam's stuff so that you are ready to go when its time." He watched as his son stalked out of the room to do as he was told, and then sank down into his chair and rested his head in his hands.

"I'd ask if you were alright but I know the answer to that already." Jim said as he took a seat as well. "Dean isn't dealing with this well. I knew that he had a lot of sorrow regarding his mothers death, its only natural, but he... he is adamant that Sam not feel the same sense of loss. Even sending him with me... you are going to have your hand full with both of them for a while because of this."

"I know. I thought we might set up housekeeping out there near you for a while" John knew that he could rely upon Jim to help him out when he needed it with the boys. Not just baby sitting duty either.

"I still have that apartment over the garage. You boys can move in... help out around the place until you have work. Don't give me that look John Winchester... you have no idea how much work helping out around the place will be, trust me. I have a lot that I have fallen behind on lately. "

John snorted. It was charity. He'd make sure it didn't last long. Work was never hard to find when he was in one place long enough. His service record ensured that. Once the boys were past this, then he would get back to hunting and moving around again. This was what came of staying in one place too long. You stopped being the hunter and became the prey.

"What did it have to say?"

"A lot of the same old bull shit. How she misses us and loves us and wants us all to be a family again. Sometimes... Sometimes when she talks its almost like she really is Mary. She was talking about remembering when the boys were born. How does this monster remember when My Boys were born? I know it isn't her. Mary would never just walk off with Sam."

"I wish I had the answers John. Somehow what ever this thing is, its tapping into your memories somehow. Which means you have been in direct contact with it somewhere along the way."

John nodded and grabbed a pad of paper and his journal to start going over all the places he had been, "Hell of it is, what if it wasn't on a hunt? How the hell am I supposed to determine where I have come into contact with something that can alter its form and personality?"

John flinched when the phone rang again, but he picked it up answering with his customary growl of "Yeah"

"Don't go doing anything stupid till I get there" Came a familiar voice.

"What have you got for me, Sarg" John said. Joshua York had been his sergeant when John had been in the corp. A strange twist of events revealed that the man knew all too well about things that went bump in the night.

"Just stay put Winchester" He said, York was an acerbic man on a good day. "I'll be there in 20 minutes. You got more trouble than you think."


	5. Chapter 5

-1A/N Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this piece. You all know I am a feedback junkie so keep them coming. Sorry to have fallen behind in responding. Life is a little hectic right now so my brain is bearing a sad resemblence swiss cheese LOL. THanks for coming back to read the next chapter!

_John flinched when the phone rang again, but he picked it up answering with his customary growl of "Yeah"_

"_Don't go doing anything stupid till I get there" Came a familiar voice._

"_What have you got for me, Sarg" John said. Joshua York had been his sergeant when John had been in the corp. A strange twist of events revealed that the man knew all too well about things that went bump in the night. _

"_Just stay put Winchester" He said, York was an acerbic man on a good day. "I'll be there in 20 minutes. You got more trouble than you think." _

"What the hell is that suppposed to-"John gave a growling sigh as the older man hung up on him. "We've got company coming" He said as he made his way into the kitchen to make an impossibly strong pot of coffee. Sergeant York liked it strong enough to stand a spoon up in. John used to drink it like that but had backed off a little once he caught Dean sneaking a cup to wake up in the mornings like Dad.

"you dont look pleased" Jim pointed out.

"What? No its not Joshua that I'm unhappy about." John said "But I dont think he is bringing good news." John had called everyone he knew to try and get information on what could have his boy. He was a proud man, too much so sometimes, but this was different. This was his boys life. He would move heaven and hell to get Sammy back, and if that meant bending over backwards and asking for help thats what it meant.

So far Joshua York had been the only one to come up with anything and he had sounded less than encouraging. In fact he had tied Johns stomach up in knots.

The truck pulled into the drive and John let out a long sigh. "you okay Dad?" Dean asked, and John nodded even though he wasnt

"Yeah, go greet your Uncle Josh" He told him, and smiled as the boy took off out the front door to meet the retired master sergeant. York had put in his 20 and retired from active duty. He still kept reservists and college boys on thier toes, but inspite of the perpetual Semper Fi attitude he wasnt active duty. He was however his boys godfather, and one of the few people on planet earth John Winchester truly respected. Not for what he knew or could do, but as a human being.

Jim watched John transform before his eyes as Joshua York entered the house, with Dean Winchester wrapped around his waist like some sort of human belt. The belligerent, screw everyone else and the horse they rode in on attitude faded away, the hard set of his jaw, and the lines around his young eyes relaxed and for the first time, Jim saw how young John winchester truly was. The man had yet to reach 30 and the weight of the world seemed to rest eternally on those young shoulders.

Joshua York stepped inside and took assessment of the situation. He hadnt expected to see a man of the cloth in Winchesters home. Must be another hunter, because John Winchester had cursed god and called him everything but a white man the day his Mary had died. "Go get us some coffee boy, we're gonna need it." He said to Dean who had reluctantly disengaged and hurried off to the kitchen.

John took a step forward and York clasped his shoulder, in a supportive jesture, a look passed between then and they both went to sit down, nothing more to say about the emotional side of things, and Jim shook his head. 'marines' he thought with an internal sigh.

"What did you find out, Sarg?" John asked, looking at his hands and the wedding band he still wore.

"You said this woman was claiming to be Mary. " Josh began. "Well I started-" he paused as Dean came into the room with two cups of coffee, and looked to John.

"Its alright. Dean knows whats going on." John said, and Joshua nodded curtly, a manuver John had never figured out. He didnt know if it was approval or disapproval or just simply a non commital acknowledgment of the facts. Although in all the time he had known Joshua York the man had never been non commital about anything no matter how small.

He thanked Dean for the coffee and took a drink before setting the cup down. "I found this" He said handing over a photo copy of a current drivers licence in the name of Mary Winchester, and the photo was definately his wife. "Seems this woman, what ever she is" He added handing over a complete DMV record "Seems to have been pretending to be Mary since just before she died. "

"You dont think its the demon do you?" John asked, horrified.

"No... but unless your wife has an evil twin out there, I am starting to think it might be a shape shifter. "

John set the coffee down, before he could drop it. The thought of a shape shifter with his boy was overwhelming. Sam was so young, so trusting as only a 5 year old could be.

"They wear the skin long enough and they start to share the originals memories. I think this thing actually believes that its Mary, and she is wanting her family back."

"If she thinks she's mom she wont hurt Sammy, though right?" Dean asked "Cause mom would never hurt any of us."

"Thats what we're gonna hope for Son" Jim said "Thats what we are going to hope and pray for."

"But we're gonna prepare for the worst" John said "Because thats what you do with an unknown enemy, Dean. We're not giving up hope that we can get Sam back in one very healthy very confused piece... but we have to prepare for her to be the monster she is. Do you understand, Son."

"Yes sir" Dean said and bit his lower lip to keep it from trembling. He could lose is brother today. That monster pretending to be his mom could go nuts and kill his little brother and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Is everything packed, Dean?"

"Yes sir" He said, sullenly.

"Go put it in Jims car now, please."

"Yes sir" He said again and left the room. He knew what was happening. He was being sent out of the room so that the grown ups could talk. It was frustrating, and it made him feel cut out of the loop entirely. Sammy was HIS little brother. Dean was the one that took care of him, that made sure he was safe when John wasnt there, and the boy didnt understand why they chose now to treat him like a child.

"okay..." John said, swallowing hard "I heard him running across the floor to go to bed when she called the first time, so she is holed up in a real house, not in the sewers somewhere like a normal shapeshifter...but chances are its got access to the tunnels or close to it" He said "So we need a map of the ... the tunnels."

"I will take care of it." Jim said "Shouldnt take long at the library, and we have to wait for her to call again before Dean and I can leave."

John thanked the man, then started to pace.

"When she calls back, you need to play into it John." Josh told him, even though he was sure Winchester knew just that. He also knew that it was the mans worst nightmare. "The more she identifies with the real mary, the better your chances of getting close to her. "

"I know… Once Dean is out of the area this will be easier."

"That may not be the best option, Son" Joshua said "We man need him here to -"

"no" John said firmly "Dean is not going through that. I am not going to make him look at her, wanting his mother so badly and having to look at that … thing… wearing her face… using her voice…"

"Winchester, you don't have the luxury of thinking like a father right now. You have to think like a soldier. You start thinking like a husband and a father that bitch is going to have you dead to rights and you will lose Sam forever. "

"I will not put both of my boys in danger." John said, knowing his mentor was right, but he wasn't willing to admit it yet.

Dean stepped from behind the door, where he had been lurking since Jim had left for the library "Dad… I want to help. I'll be okay, I promise."

"Son, you cant promise that" John said.

Dean opened his mouth to speak but fell silent as the phone began to ring again.


	6. Chapter 6

-1The nine year old dove for the phone, snagging it up and scurrying away before it could be ripped from his young hands by well meaning adults. "Hello?"

"Deeean" Sammy exclaimed excitedly "See I told you it would be a good surprise. Are you happy Dean? I know you really miss mommy a lot…Is Daddy happy? He sounded sad last night. I didn't want to make him sad. He's not sad is he? He liked the surprise … didn't he?"

Sam had gone from completely excited, Dean could well imagine the boy bouncing on the balls of his feet with too much energy to contain, and talked himself into an insecure little boy. Always eager to please, always needing validation, and Deans smile faded along with Sammy's mood.

"Dad is… you see… you're too little to remember that night. Dad and I do… so it's a big shock and its not so easy to just stop believing she's dead. Its an incredible surprise, Sam. it's a really good surprise, but we just gotta see her is all. So far all we have is her voice on the phone and that she has you… "

"It really is Mom, Dean. She looks just like the picture Daddy always keeps. I promise its really mom"

"I know Sammy. I know its really mom but you shouldn't have taken off with out me. "

"I'm sorry, Dean. I wont go anywhere with out you again I promise." He said.

"Okay. All forgiven. So where are you? Do we have our own rooms there?" Dean asked, looking to his father, hoping he was doing this right. They needed information, and with the right people Sam was a non stop bubbling over font of it.

Sam giggled, pleased that Dean had forgiven him and wanted to know more "Yep, we have our own rooms, and there is a big room for Mommy and Daddy, and a room down stairs with toys and a tv… there was some girly stuff in my room but Mommy said it was from the people that lived here before and she will get rid of it. So don't tease me about being a girl when you get here, okay?"

"I promise Sammy I wont tease you about being a girl. Is it a really big house? Whats the yard look like do you think its big enough we could play ball in it or maybe have a dog?"

"yeah… there is a big dog here now… really big and fluffy… like the one in peter pan… but he doesn't like mommy. He likes me though. " Sam giggled. "He keeps getting in between me and mommy like he's playing keep away with me as the ball But he was here with the house too so I don't know if we can keep him. I keep trying to talk mommy into it but she hasn't said yes or no yet. "

Dean could hear her talking in the back ground.

"But I want to talk to Dean."

Dean could almost see the little boys cheerful face clouding

"I havent even gotten to talk to Daddy yet" then Sams voice was heard directed into the telephone. "Mommy says I have to go now." There was disappointment in his voice

"Sammy don't go… I don't know where you are… how can I come see you and mommy? Sammy you have to tell me where you are."

"I gotta go" Sammy said in dejected tones and Dean wished that he and his father hadn't instilled in him to be such a good boy. That he would rebel and stay on the phone.

"Sammy… " he said but only got the dial tone in response.

"Dean… you alright, Kiddo?" It was Johns voice, it wasn't the voice that he wanted to hear. He wanted his brothers voice. He wanted his brothers voice in the room with him, and he wanted this woman to really be his mom. Unfortunately he wasn't going to get either one, and that made him angry.

"No" Dean said in a surly tone he had rarely used, and he looked up sharply when his father didn't upbraid him for it.

"Yeah, me neither" John said instead and pulled his older son to him. "Come on… tell us what all he said while we're waiting on Jim to get back. " Dean was just a child, dealing with incredible pressure. If the worst that came of it was a sharp tone ,then John would count himself lucky.

Dean explained it all to his father and his uncle Josh. "That was someone elses house wasn't it?" Dean asked. The dog… the little girls things. "She killed those people… and she could Kill Sammy if she thinks we don't believe her."

"Don't think about that right now." Joshua said "What you need to think about right now is that we're gonna find Sammy before that can happen." Normally he wasn't one for candy coating anything in life. Josh was a hard man who preferred the realities of the world to the soft cotton batting most people wanted to put around theirs. Cotton batting sheltered you from life's hard knocks but it also took some of the brightness away from the joys life had to offer.

"How?" Dean asked.

"Well, " John said "We know it's a large house, big yard, with a big tree a tree house, an English sheep dog that is probably out side since it doesn't like the shifter. There was once a little girl in that house. So chances are there are little girl toys out back as well. Houses with a tree old enough to have a tree house is going to be in an older part of town. You did good, Son, you got a lot of information out of him. You did good."

"Add into that she's a shifter, and they like to be near the sewer tunnels, we'll be able to track down where they are, Dean" Josh told him. "Its just going to take a little time. "

Dean sank onto the sofa, and drew his knees up to his chest. He had let his brother down. If he hadn't let him slip out at night, Sammy would still be with them and they wouldn't have to hunt him down.

s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s

Sammy sat on the bed and sulked. He had wanted to talk to Dean more. He missed his brother. It didn't matter how much he wanted his mommy, he didn't know her. His brother was the one that knew how to take care of him. He was the one that knew how to tuck the covers in just right ,and how to make the right sound effects when it was story time. "why cant Daddy and Dean just come here?"

"They will Sammy, soon, I promise. They will, but Daddy doesn't believe in me yet. He has to believe first. "


	7. Chapter 7

Dean didn't know how long he had sat there, only half listening to his father and Joshua talking about what needed to be done. Their voices would rise from time to time, and Dean would look up, expecting Joshua to storm out like others tended to do when his father got that tone. When his anger and pride would get the better of him and he would hammer another wedge between himself and whomever he could now count in the list of former friends.

But Joshua didn't storm out. He would square his shoulders, look his father in the eyes and say "That's enough, Son." And John would sighed and run his hands through his hair. Deans eyes widened almost as big as saucers when his father actually apologize.

Jim returned a little later with a large roll of paper, and Dean hoped that it was the maps of the sewer system.

Dean rocked slightly, not moving from the sofa as the minister entered the house and stretched out the map on the table. He was too busy thinking about Sam, wondering where he was, and if he was alright. He felt guilty, not merely for not knowing Sam was sneaking outside in the middle of the night, but, for all those times he had wished he didn't have a little brother. It wasn't a real wish. It wasn't Sammy he hadn't wanted there it was the responsibility he hadn't wanted there. He had wanted to just be a kid, but now that Sammy was gone he just wanted things back to the way they were. Needed things back to the way they were.

His father called him over and hugged him for a moment before sending him into the kitchen to make up a few sandwiches for the road, since it was such a long drive. Dean barely noticed what was being said around him as he functioned on auto pilot. Even making sandwiches, baloney since he figured it was for Jim. Was Pastor Jim really going to be leaving? With Sammy still in danger was he just gonna go and leave them to hunt for his little brother on their own?

He put the sandwiches (four, because he knew his Dad ate 4 sandwiches on work days. Two at lunch and one on each break and it was habit) into a bag and then took out a soda to add to it just to be nice, even if he didn't feel like being nice, Jim was leaving them while Sam was in trouble.

"Here" He said as he sat the lunch bag down on the table.

"Good man" John said as he sat down in a chair and pulled Dean around to look at him. "I want you to mind Jim while you're there."

"What? Dad, No! I thought we had decided I was going to stay here with you… Sammy is gonna need me when you find him."

"Dean, your brother is going to be alright."

"But its my job to take care of him! I cant leave… I cant ditch him when he's in trouble. Please Dad, don't send me away."

Joshua left the room. He didn't agree with Johns decision, but he wasn't going to undermine the mans authority with his own son. It would only make matters worse.

"Dean, you are not ditching him. You are going to a safe place until this is over, that's all."

"Sam's not in a safe place. "

"That's enough , Son" John said, echoing Joshua's earlier words "now go grab your lunch and something to do in the car. Its time to go."

"yes, Sir" Dean said dejectedly and slowly went about doing just that while his father and Joshua said their good byes to Jim. He went straight to the car, not bothering to say anything more. He knew that if he opened his mouth he would start begging again and there was no point. His father was never going to change his mind.

Time might tick away steadily one second at a… well… time… on the clock, but with out something to tell you exactly how many of those precious seconds had ticked and tocked themselves away, time was truly relative. How long a second lasted seemed directly (and perversely) correlated to how much you were enjoying the moment in question. Given the heavy heart of the young boy waiting in the front seat of the car, each second seemed like 30 dragging the 5 minutes he had been waiting into an eternity.

"I'm sorry that took so long Dean" Pastor Jim said as he settled behind the wheel. "What do you say we pick up something to drink? I have to get gas before we leave town anyway" He said.

Dean nodded and muttered something polite. A hardwired response more than anything else. He forced a smile, and leaned his head against the passengers door window, watching the neighborhoods pass them by along the way to the circle k.

He barely registered the reassurances that Jim tried to give him, but he responded with I know, and okay, at what he thought were the right moments. The neighborhood got older as they went, the houses were like you would see in Andy Griffith and Leave it to Beaver. The sort of places that everyone in the 50s wanted to raise their children in. The sort of places that Dean and Sam used to pretend they would come home to once the demon was dead and their dad could be their dad again.

They crossed the freeway and pulled into the circle K. Jim asked what Dean would like to drink and he told him a coke. "I gotta go to the bath room" Dean said "I'll be right back" He got out of the car and hurried toward the mens room, which was around the side of the store. He waited there, just out of sight until he was sure Jim had gone inside to pay, then took off at a run, back across the free way, back toward the houses with the big trees.

He had seen a tree house from the road, in a really tall tree. It might not be the one, and it would take time to spot exactly which house it belonged to but at least it was something, and Deans little heart pounded in his chest as he ran through the quiet streets, with its manicured lawns and middle aged houses.

SPNSPNSPN

John and Joshua bent over the map of the sewer tunnels and started pin pointing places where the tunnels would be wide enough to allow for a shifters lair, it was time consuming, but there was nothing else they could do. Driving around in circles and hoping for a clue to fall in their laps wouldn't accomplish anything but waist time.

John went to start his third pot of coffee for the day when the phone rang. He was learning to hate that phone. He didn't want to answer it. It would be her. Using Mary's voice and Mary's memories to lure him into her delusions. But he answered it anyway. She had Sam. John had no choice.

"John… its Jim."

"What's wrong?" He asked, his breath catching in his chest.

"Dean… Stopped to refuel and the boy took off. I'm going to start looking for him now but I thought you should know."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N Sorry it has taken me so long to put up this next up date. We were getting the last bit of "lost and found" out and getting the ground work laid for the next story in the revelations AU which is "in the name of the father" as well as the next story in the "no such thing as Miracles AU which is titled "Sword and Shield". This story is actually part of that AU. The first chapters of those will be out shortly. Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews. It makes my day to get those little emails!

SPNSPNSPN

Dean slipped through the hedge row, making faces in an attempt to stay quiet as the small thorns dug at his clothing and skin. He hoped he was right and that he wasn't breaking into someone innocent persons back yard, but that fear wasn't going to stop him anymore than the fear of the shape shifter would stop him. He had to get to Sam.

He hid behind the dog house, pausing to pluck the thorns from himself, before heading to the best hiding place he could see. The Tree House. He climbed the ladder quickly and positioned himself to look out the window without being seen. His father had taught him to hide, and hide well. Not because of fear, but so he could protect Sammy.

He watched as the English sheep dog was ushered outside, and could hear Sam's laughter when the door opened. The sound that usually made him smile no matter what he was feeling inside, turned his stomach into knots. Sam was alright, he was having fun. Not realizing how much danger there was around him. Not knowing how much it was going to hurt later when the monster posing as their mother was destroyed.

She stood at the kitchen window, Dean assumed that she was washing dishes. She would turn her head and speak over her shoulder, only to smile, and sometimes laugh. He remembered times like that with his Mom, or liked to think he did. Most of his actual memories of his mother came in flashes more than any real memories. Flashes of her tucking him in at night, telling him that the Angels were watching over him. He could remember flashes of his parents laughing together, He could almost feel her hand on his as she taught him to color between the lines.

Tears came to his eyes, and an anger filled his heart that the 9 year old had never experienced in his life. It wasn't just that some monster had taken his brother from him. He didn't even have the words to describe why it filled him so intensely with anger. It was mom, would be all that he could vocalize later, unable to express that it was an obscenity, a blasphemy against the one thing Dean held as sacred. Those few precious memories he had of his mother that didn't come from others.

SPNSPNSPN

"John, sit down" Joshua said.

Winchester merely glared at the older man, who simply raised an eyebrow, and John sat down. "I can't just sit here and wait for her to call me again. My boys are out there."

"I know." He answered in an understanding tone. "Would Dean just get out of the car because he didn't want to go with your friend?" Josh asked.

John frowned "No" He said then grabbed the city map, a new determination in his eyes "This is the gas station where Jim stopped. " He marked it on the map and then on the correlating point on the sewer schematic. "This part of town was industrial back in the 20s." He said, having done research on the city for a previous hunt . "Its huge under there to handle the load. It was turned into residential property after the war. It would be old enough to have some decent sized trees in the yard… Dean probably caught sight of a tree house and jumped ship" He grabbed his jacket, and his pistol, checking the gun to be sure it contained silver rounds.

"you stay here, I'll go check it out."

"Don't push your luck, Sarg" John said, the look in his eyes making it plain he had no plan to follow that particular order.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean waited until the shifter was no where to be seen, and quietly climbed down from the tree house, running toward the back of the house, with a large English sheep dog on his heels. "no, no, no, no, no" he breathed "don't bark, please don't bark" He panted pressing himself against the wall of the house, trying to stare down the dog, although that would have been easier if there had been eyes to stare into instead of a mass of white and gray hair, with a little black nose and a large pink tongue hanging out as it panted.

Wait… it was panting. Not growling. Not barking. Just panting.

Dean looked at the dog a little dubiously for a moment, wondering if this were too good to be true as well. He slowly lifted a hand and touched the dog, gingerly at first as though testing to see if the iron were hot, then eventually buried a hand into the dogs fur. "Bet Sammy really likes you." He said softly "but I don't have time to play right now. I gotta get to my brother. " he started to slide past the dog only to have the animal move between him and where he was going. "Come on." He groaned.

"Nana" It was Sammy, calling from the door "Nana come here, girl."

"Sam, you know I don't like the dog in the house, she's probably out in her dog house already asleep,"

"But you promised!" Sam exclaimed and Dean couldn't help but smile. You didn't promise something to his little brother and not deliver. It was asking for trouble. "you promised Nana could take a nap with me today."

"Fine I will get the dog. Just go on up stairs." the shifter said.

"Nana" Sammy called again.

"Go on" Dean said softly, "Go to Sammy" He wished the thing would go cause otherwise he was gonna get caught.

SPNSPN

John let Joshua drive, he needed to keep his eyes open for any sign of Dean along the way. There were a lot of houses in that old neighborhood and any one of them could be the one Dean had gone looking for.

"So when this is done…" Joshua began.

"The boys and I are headed to Blue Earth, a little down time at Jims place. Give the boys a chance to get over this. "

"Blue Earth huh." Josh said and John nodded "Remember Colonel Quillon ?" He asked. He had to keep John talking, keep him from focusing solely on those boys. He would lose it if he didn't and neither John nor his boys could afford that.

"remember him? Surprised he hasn't gotten caught up in friendly fire." Where are you Dean? He asked silently eyes scanning everything, watching for his son, for what would have caught the boys attention in the first place.

Josh laughed. "Yeah, that's because he retired. "

"Yeah? The division throw a party?" To celebrate. Damn it Dean, I need a sign boy.

"He's having a bit of a problem. Settled in about 20 miles from this Blue Earth you were talking about. He's getting into politics."

"Now you're gonna give me nightmares."

"unfortunately not all the skeletons in the closet are figurative." Josh said as he drove slowly through the streets. "Seems he's got a poltergeist problem. Since you're gonna be so close, how about you help me out with it?"

"I'm gonna have my hands full with the boys. They're gonna need me to be around after this is over."

"John… it's a ghost. You could take it in your sleep. You are going to be on edge after this and if you don't get out and do something you're gonna wind up make it harder for the boys not easier. Bring em along for the research part. I'm sure your friend will watch them while we go and salt a few old bones. "

"I'll think about it."

SPNSPNSPN

Dean eased around the dog, and started to run for basement door, stopping short in front of image of his mother.

"Hello Dean" She said, with a warmth in her eyes, that Dean found to be more chilling than anything else.

"mom" He breathed, and stared at her a moment in shock, then rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her. "Mom" He said again, knowing it was a lie, but there was nothing else he could do. Not if he wanted to get to his brother. To do that he had to go through her.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N sorry this has taken so long. Actually punctured my right hand a while a go and have been dealing with the subsequent infection. I swear I dont know how the boys deal with all the infected lacerations we give them LOL. Its had me feeling a little sorry for them- but dont worry it doesnt mean I plan to stop tormenting them any time soon. Anyway, hope everyone enjoys - please R&R . I still dont own them... not even in my fevered delusions could I make it happen. Sigh. Dont own the childrens story either. That was the Littlest Knight by Carole Moore

Everfaithful

SPNSPNSPN

Dean eased around the dog, and started to run for basement door, stopping short in front of image of his mother.

"Hello Dean" She said, with a warmth in her eyes, that Dean found to be more chilling than anything else.

"mom" He breathed, and stared at her a moment in shock, then rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her. "Mom" He said again, knowing it was a lie, but there was nothing else he could do. Not if he wanted to get to his brother. To do that he had to go through her.

"I shouldnt be surprized, you were always so smart" She said as she stroked his hair, holding him close "Does your father know where you are?"

Dean shook his head "I wanted to find Sammy. I dont like being away from him this long" That much wasnt a lie.

"Sammy was about to go down for his nap."

"Okay, come on Sam, show me your room. You too Nana" He said, not giving the shifter time to say another word. Sam had said the dog was protecting him from the shifter, so Dean wanted that Dog with his brother at all times until this was over... which it would be once he found a way to let thier father know where they were.

Sam bounced excitedly and grabbed Deans hand. "Come on! Its up stairs, and its HUGE its like the size of our living room." The 5 year old bounded up the stairs dragging Dean behind him

"Easy there Sammy. I like my arm attached there kiddo"

Sam giggled in response and Dean smiled in spite of himself. Sam had an infectious laugh. He always would, just as it would always make Dean smile. "Mom says your room is over there" He said pointing to a room down the hall "But... could you stay with me while I nap?" Sammy asked, looking up at Dean hopefully.

"Sure, squirt." Dean said, as though Sam could get rid of him. He wasnt going to let his brother out of his sight for a long time to come. "So where's your room? Does it face toward the front of the house?"

Sammy nodded "The big tree out there makes creepy shadows on the walls and I couldnt hardly sleep last night. I missed you." He said letting his brother into the very girlish room that was his. "mom says we can paint the walls cause I dont wanna be in a pink room you'd tease me about it."

"Nah, I promised I wouldnt tease you about this one, remember." Dean said as he looked around."Come on, lets get you tucked into bed before Mom gets up here" It almost physically hurt to call her Mom but until thier Dad sorted it out and found them, he couldnt tell Sammy the truth. He didnt have a dishonest bone in his little body and he would freak out all over her.

Sam climbed up into his bed and let Dean pull the covers up around him. Dean settled on the side of the bed with a book and looked at his brother for a moment "You need to promise me something " Dean said. "When Dad gets here, you'll do exactly what I say"

Sam looked at him quizzically "okay Dean. Is something wrong?"

"Nah, its all good." He said and opened the book looking through the table of contents "how about the littlest knight?" He asked, "that could be cool"

"okay." Sammy said and nestled under the covers for story time. Dean always read the best stories.

" Once upon a time long ago, even before the days of King Arthur, there lived a blacksmith only three feet tall. He was so short that he needed a stool to stand on to shoe the great steeds of the knights. This bothered him not a bit because although he was small he was very brave. In fact, in his heart he secretly longed to become a knight and win the hand of the Princess."

"Why would he want her hand? Doesnt he want the rest of her too?" Sam asked.

Dean laughed a little "Nah, he liked all of her. He wanted her to like him too, you know... and let him hold her hand and stuff."

Sam wrinkled his nose. "you mean like grown ups... like mommies and daddies? Do you think Daddy is gonna want to hold Mommy's hand and stuff all the time cause that would be gross. Jimmy thompson said that holding hands leads to kissing and that if you kiss a girl you get all of her girl germs and start acting all girly. I dont want Daddy to start acting like a girl."

"Dont worry, Squirt. Dads not gonna go all girly, but I think you might" Dean said and tickled his brother getting him to squeal in laughter. "Now do you want me to finish this story or what?"

Sam nodded.

"The Princess was the King and Queen's only child and it should come as no surprise that the little blacksmith loved her very much for she was both kind and beautiful. She was even smaller than he, and had dancing eyes and long silken hair which she wore in a coiled braid. But, alas, the little blacksmith could admire the Princess only from afar because she was, after all, a princess and he but a lowly blacksmith--not even that tall. " Dean continued with the story, checking every now and again to see if the shifter were looking, his eyes darting around the room looking for some way to allert thier father to thier presence in the house- because he knew his dad was looking, and looking close to where he had jumped ship. "One day a terrible dragon came to the kingdom. Breathing fire on anyone who crossed its path, it trampled houses and burned fields. Many knights battled the dragon but their swords could not cut its thick scales. Each night it flew home to its cave in the mountains surrounded by a deep ravine."

Sam perked up now. The story was no longer girly "Was it a dragon that tried to kill mom?"

"Nah, Dragons dont eat moms. Cause moms have kids... they like girls that arent married." Dean explained. At least that was how Pastor Jim had explained the whole virgin concept to him when he had asked the same thing, girls that had never gotten married. Thier dad had laughed at that one and Dean still didnt know why. Hadnt seemed that funny an answer to him at the time.

It was starting to get dark outside, and Dean moved over to the window to look outside. "Its gonna storm, I think. Can you be brave for me if it starts to thunder and lightening?"

Sammy nodded "It wont get me if you're here Dean"

"Thats right. Nothing is gonna get you while I'm around. Of course all bets are off if you run off on me like that again."

"I'm sorry"

"S'okay. just dont ever...ever do that to me again, got it?"

"I promise." Sam said, feeling bad for worrying his brother. "So what about the Dragon and the Blacksmith?" Better to change the subject before Dean had time to think about it too much.

Dean smiled and settled down beside the bed. He could get his brother out the window and down the tree, easily enough, he was sure. But he had to wait for the right time. If the monster caught them trying to get away, things would be alot worse he was sure. "The dragon was enchanted and protected by a magic spell." he said returning to the story. Best to get Sammy to sleep for now, then he could get out and look around the place for ways to let thier Dad know where they were.

He continued to read the story, about how kindness ultimately saved the day, and released the dragon from its spell, making it a good kind guardian for the kingdom. He thought it was a stupid story. Nothing ever worked out like that. Not with real monsters. But Sammy was asleep, and it was begining to rain.

He eased off of the bed and went to close the bedroom door, and put a chair under the door knob like his father had taught him to do. He tore through the little girls belongings, looking for magic markers, and trying not to think about what the shifter had done to the little girl in order to get this picture perfect house, Because if he thought about it too much his stomach tied up into knots and he just wanted to take his brother and run.

He found what he was looking for and pocketed as many of them as he could before going over to the window and cautiously sliding it open. Afraid of making too much noise. He waited a moment, then took off the screen, pulling it inside, and setting it against the wall. He eased out the window, and onto the tree limb, which bowed a little under his weight. He grabbed onto the one above it and held on tightly, shaking suddenly at the thought of the nearly two story drop to the ground.

Cautiously he moved, until he could grasp the rose trellis and climb onto it. He held on, with one arm looped through the trellis, and the magic marker in the other. He was glad that it wasnt raining hard yet, because the eaves kept the water away from the walls for now. Markers wouldnt work if it was wet. He quickly drew large bold letters on the white of the house D+S HERE. It took more time than he had thought it would to make them big enough to be seen from the road. His arm ached from having held him up for so long, and he found that it was much harder to get back into the tree, than it had been to get out of the tree.

The narrow limbs in his reach barely held up beneath him as he took slow and cautious steps, trying to get back to his little brother.


	10. Chapter 10

-1_He eased off of the bed and went to close the bedroom door, and put a chair under the door knob like his father had taught him to do. He tore through the little girls belongings, looking for magic markers, and trying not to think about what the shifter had done to the little girl in order to get this picture perfect house, Because if he thought about it too much his stomach tied up into knots and he just wanted to take his brother and run._

_He found what he was looking for and pocketed as many of them as he could before going over to the window and cautiously sliding it open. Afraid of making too much noise. He waited a moment, then took off the screen, pulling it inside, and setting it against the wall. He eased out the window, and onto the tree limb, which bowed a little under his weight. He grabbed onto the one above it and held on tightly, shaking suddenly at the thought of the nearly two story drop to the ground._

_Cautiously he moved, until he could grasp the rose trellis and climb onto it. He held on, with one arm looped through the trellis, and the magic marker in the other. He was glad that it wasnt raining hard yet, because the eaves kept the water away from the walls for now. Markers wouldnt work if it was wet. He quickly drew large bold letters on the white of the house D+S HERE. _

_It took more time than he had thought it would to make them big enough to be seen from the road. His arm ached from having held him up for so long, and he found that it was much harder to get back into the tree, than it had been to get out of the tree. The narrow limbs in his reach barely held up beneath him as he took slow and cautious steps, trying to get back to his little brother._

Dean slowly made his way back to the broad trunk of the tree. His heart was racing in his chest, pounding furiously against his small ribcage, hard and fast enough that it was all Dean could hear. Until the lightening crashed, followed at the count of 4 by the rumble of thunder. It was close… really close.

He could see the lights turning on down stairs as the sky darkened with thunderheads, and knew he had to move quickly. Just another few feet and he could climb in the window, just another few feet. Hand over hand, one foot carefully placed in front of the other and he was soon perched precariously on a limb not quite strong enough to hold him, bowing a little under his slight weight.

His foot slipped and it took all of his willpower not to cry out as he grasped tightly to the branch above, holding on for dear life, until the bark began to dig into his small hands, until he could get his feet once more on the limb below.

He was trembling as he made himself let go of the limb to climb in the window, the ground 20 feet below might as well have been 100 from where he stood. Lightening flashed, and he slid into the window. He tucked the screen under the bed, and closed the window just as the thunder rolled.

He was cold and he was wet, and he was tired. It wasn't even dinner time yet and it felt as though he had been awake for days. "Come on Dad… you can find us… I know you can… I know you can." He muttered and went to dry off as much as he could, and crawled into bed with his brother. The dog was stretched out at the side of the bed, keeping watch over the children.

SPNSPNSPN

Jim had been driving for hours trying to find the boy . He felt terrible, John had entrusted him with his son, and he had failed to keep him safe. Unfortunately he didn't know what else to do other than drive, hoping to see Dean , praying that he was safe from the storm but far from the shape shifter.

Lightening flashed and he looked up, Seeing the bold letters scrawled across the house in several different colors… D+S HERE. "Atta boy" he said and sighed in relief. Now, he had to get hold of John. Who was probably doing exactly what he was … driving around aimlessly hoping for a sign. He looked at his watch and got back into his car, it was almost time to regroup, he just hoped he wasn't making a mistake in leaving, but he didn't know enough of what was going on in the house to try and take the shifter on alone.

She watched from a darkened upstairs window as the man stared at the house, got back into his car and drove away. The hackles on the back of her neck rose, and if nothing else she had learned to trust her instincts. She quietly moved down the stairs and out the front door. She could see in the dim light of the storm far easier than the priest could, her eyes glinting in the darkness as she stared up at the message written on the house.

"Dean" She said, knowing that it had to have been him. Her jaw clenched as she turned on her heel, going back into the house.

……………..

Joshua pulled into the gas station at the appointed time and turned off the engine. He didn't like the way this looked. Not at all. The storm was getting worse, and the warning had come over the radio about massive winds and large hail predicted to come before the night was through. If Dean was out in that, the boy could be in serious trouble.

"Come on Jim… where are you… I don't have time for this bullshit" John said, having reached the end of his patience long ago. His boys were out there and it.

"John-"

"Don't tell me to frigging relax, Sarg" John snapped .

"Wouldn't dream of it.. But you might wanna look over there" He said indicating the drenched man with the roman collar approaching.

"Sorry" John said as he let the priest into the car.

"I know where they are"

-------------------

Dean woke when the chair he had placed beneath the door knob rattled but lay there holding his breath, hoping that she would just go away. If it hadn't been for the storm he would have taken Sammy out the window earlier instead of waiting for their father, but even at 9 he knew how dangerous it would be for them out side.

"Dean, open this door." the shifter said "I'm very disappointed in you. "

He didn't say a word. He didn't dare to so much as breathe. She had found out somehow… she had seen the writing on the wall, he was sure of it. He turned over and shook Sammy awake, shushing him immediately "We have to get out of here." He whispered.

"Why?" Sammy asked, rubbing his eyes.

"I'll explain when we get home." Dean said as he got up and frantically searched for Sammy's shoes, then started to help him get them on and tied.

"But we are home Dean"

The door rattled once more then flung open, the chair under the knob skittered across the floor as the shifter entered the room.

Sam screamed, and moved behind Dean, which was exactly where his brother wanted him.

"Arent you a bit old to be scribbling on the walls?" She asked.


	11. Chapter 11

_Dean woke when the chair he had placed beneath the door knob rattled but lay there holding his breath, hoping that she would just go away. If it hadn't been for the storm he would have taken Sammy out the window earlier instead of waiting for their father, but even at 9 he knew how dangerous it would be for them out side. _

"_Dean, open this door." the shifter said "I'm very disappointed in you. " _

_He didn't say a word. He didn't dare to so much as breathe. She had found out somehow… she had seen the writing on the wall, he was sure of it. He turned over and shook Sammy awake, shushing him immediately "We have to get out of here." He whispered._

"_Why?" Sammy asked, rubbing his eyes. _

"_I'll explain when we get home." Dean said as he got up and frantically searched for Sammy's shoes, then started to help him get them on and tied. _

"_But we are home Dean"_

_The door rattled once more then flung open, the chair under the knob skittered across the floor as the shifter entered the room._

_Sam screamed, and moved behind Dean, which was exactly where his brother wanted him. _

"_Arent you a bit old to be scribbling on the walls?" She asked. _

"Dean didnt write on the walls." Sammy said "Those were there already, remember mommy, we found them in here already" Sam didnt understand, and he was very much afraid.

"Its okay Sammy." Dean said as he backed away from the shifter, keeping Sam behind him as he went, directing his brother steadily toward the window.

"All you had to do was believe, Dean... all you had to do but you couldnt even do that" She accused "This is why I didnt want him here yet. Either of them." She told Sam

Sam trembled where he stood behind his brother, he had never seen any one so angry, never heard that tone of voice directed at him or his brother. Thier father had been angry lots of times. But he had never frightened the boys, had never looked at them the way his mother was looking at them now.

"Thats not our mom, Sammy." Dean told him "Its a monster that can look like any one it wants to."

Joshua parked his car behind the priest's and looked over at John. The younger mans features were hard, cold, even though his eyes betrayed some of the worry he was feeling. The two men checked the rounds in thier weapons then looked to one another and nodded before silently getting out of the car and walking toward the house. Josh gave John a hand sign, indicating how long to wait before busting in to the house and John gave a curt nod before pressing himself against the wall to the side of the door. He counted down the alotted time as his former Sargeant made his way around to the back of the house and the back door.

He moved to stand in front of the door, as the seconds counted down, and exactly on thier mark, John and Joshua kicked in the front and back doors. "Honey I'm home" John called out, his tone revealing all he was feeling inside.

"Dad!" both boys called out in unison, and John was up the stairs, taking two at a time, His broad shoulders seemed to fill the door way of the childs bedroom, as he stood before them, gun raised, ready to fire, dark eyes fixed on the creature between him and his boys. Mary's face, god it was Mary's face, her eyes... his gut twisted in knots as he looked at her.

Lightening and thunder, one on top of the other filled the room first with bright white light and then pitch black as the power went out, his moment of oportunity gone. John swore "Dean, get your brother out of here, now" He said, then groaned as he was struck by the shifter, whose eyes adjusted much quicker to the darkness than Johns could.

Dean didnt waste a moment, as he grabbed up Sammy and set him in the window sill, one hand firmly gripping the younger boys waist band. "Okay, kiddo, reach out and grab the limb, "

"I'm Scared, Dean" Sammy admitted as he looked down at the ground below.

"I've gotcha, you're not gonna fall. Dont look down, now come on. I cant get out until you do, okay. I wont let anything happen to you." Dean said, glancing over his shoulder occasionally trying to see the fight that was playing out behind them.

Sammy did as his brother told him, and reached out to grab the limb and slowly put his feet out to the one below it. He had never been allowed to climb trees. Dean had said he was too little, and not here he was straining to keep a grip on the limb above while his toes scraped at the one below, to move him further along.

"okay Sammy, hold on tight, real tight cause I gotta let go just long enough to get outside. I'm right behind you." Dean told his brother and slowly released his grip on his brothers pants and pulled himself out of the window "I'm almost there, Sammy, hold on." Then he felt it, the ice cold hand gripping his leg and Dean grabbed onto the limb and held on for dear life, Kicking at the hand that held him, knowing it wasnt his fathers. He cried out involuntarily as the grip tightened painfully and began to pull, but Dean didnt let go, and he didnt stop kicking.

The struggle shook the limb the brothers were perched on so precariously and Sammy screamed as he lost his grip on the upper branch, and fell, grabbing onto the lower one clinging desperately, as his little body was racked with sobs of terror.

"Sam!" Dean screamed and let one hand free of the limb to reach out and grab his little brothers collar. "Hold on Sammy, Hold on!"

Nana yelped as she was kicked by the shifter, slamming into the wall. "you leave my dog alone!" Sammy yelled, distracted from his own fear by the knowledge that the sheep dog had been hurt.

John pushed himself to his feet. His body felt as though it was on fire, and it was hard to breath, but that wasnt going to stop him. Nothing was going to stop him as he lunged forward, grabbing the shifter by the hair and pulling her back ward, breaking her grip on his son. Joshua took aim but couldnt get a clear shot at the thing as she seemed to wrap herself around Winchester, clawing, biting, gouging. THe blade in Johns hands was coated in blood, but still the thing kept at him.

Dean moved quickly, wrapping his legs around the limb he pulled "I gotcha, Sammy, I gotcha" He said "But you have to help me," He bent over, almost spilling himself over the edge as well, to grab the 5 year olds waist band once more pulling a little further upward "Pull your leg up. You can do it."

"I cant!" The panicked little boy screamed, his body shaking in the cold rain.

"Yes you can! Come on Sammy" Dean pulled as hard as he could, over balancing the other direction, but getting his brothers chest back up on the limb at least and he leaned forward, pinning the younger boy there, while Sammy finally managed to get his little legs over the limb. "We gotta move" Dean said and got to his feet, his own body trembling with the exhertion of it all, and pulled his brother up with him., holding onto his shirt, directing him quickly toward the trunk, where they could sit, recoup for a moment before making thier way down.

He pressed his back against the large trunk of the tree, and pulled his little brother to him, holding on tightly. "I just... I just need a minute to catch my breath." He told his brother "you okay?" He asked and Sammy nodded, even though his teeth were chattering.

Joshua took aim and fired, hitting the bitch in the leg, the only place he could hit without hitting John as well. He knelt down to pick up the gun that had been lost to John in the struggle. She howled in rage, an inhuman sound and picked John up as if he were a child and threw him at Joshua, knocking both men into the hallway,

Dean rested his head back against the tree and held his breath. He stared at the window, unable to see within, but the sounds of fighting had stopped and he was waiting, praying to hear his fathers voice. To see his fathers face.

Lightening lit up the sky once more followed almost instantly by the crack of thunder, but it wasnt Johns face illuminated in the window. It was the shifters, her face contorted by rage and something else. No longer the beautiful face he remembered of his mother. It was her features but something in the expression looked so completely inhuman that it took his breath away.

Sammy screamed, a pure piercing shriek that only comes from small children and frightened rabbits, as the thing came out the window. Her movements were sinewy, exagerated and unnatural. Like watching some 4 legged spider make its way out the window and into the tree.

Dean was on his feet instantly, pushing his little brother further up the tree. On the ground they had no advantage, but here thier smaller weight and mass would let them go higher into the tree than the creature coming for them. He hoped.

John took the gun from Joshua and once more they exchanged a look and a nod and the older of the two headed down the stairs at break neck speeds, while John forced his broad frame through the window, taking a literal leap of faith, and lunged toward the tree. His hands grasped the limb and he pulled himself up moving to a secure location, watching as his boys moved dangerously higher in the tree. He moved cautiously finding his footing and hand holds by the braille method not once taking his eyes off the scene above him. He braced himself - kneeling on one broad limb, shoulder pressed against the trunk and aimed upwards, waiting for the right moment, the moment when his boys were clear, and fired the gun twice.

The creature arched backwards, shrieking as the bullets struck, losing her grip on the tree and falling in what seemed to John to be slow motion to the ground.

"Dean! Sam!" He called out. "You boys alright?" Two more gunshots were heard, and John looked down to see Josh and Pastor Jim standing over the creatures body.

"Yeah Dad... we're fine" Dean said, finally daring to breath. "Come on Sammy. Lets go home" He said as he helped his little brother out of the high branches. He moved a little below him so that he could make sure he didnt fall, his father doing the same for him the rest of the way to the ground.

With his boys both safely on solid ground John sank to the wet grass and pulled his sons to him, holding to the tightly as the rain fell around them. "Dont ever do that again... dont ever run off like that again." He said, but the thunder was gone from his voice. "I almost lost you." He kissed both of thier heads, and stood slowly, reluctantly, as Joshua approached.

The older man gave the boys a cursory glance, and when he was sure the only blood on the boys actually transfer from their father he looked up at John. "Jim and I will deal with things here."

John nodded his thanks and started to lead the children away toward the impala.

"What about Nana... we cant leave Nana... She was hurt, I heard her yelp" Sammy insisted.

Jim and John both looked confused But Josh nodded "We'll take care of the dog, Sam. You two boys need to go home and take care of your father right now."

Sam and Dean exchanged looks and looked up at thier father, who chuckled "I'm fine boys. Lets just get you home" He said and opened the door of the black impala, he spread a blanket over the back seat and got the boys to sit on it then bundled it around them, and draped another over thier laps. "We'll be home in no time." John said as he got behind the drivers seat, and looked into the rear view mirror at the boys sitting there. His entire world bundled there in woolen blankets. "What do you say we go visit Jim for a little while."

The boys nodded and John smiled, starting up the car. "good."


End file.
